Eyes Wide Open
It’s OK to fall in love with a house, but this should be after you’ve had it inspected.
Attending open inspections, one after the other can start to become a drag or you may have found what seems like your perfect home in just a few weeks, it is very important to keep your eyes wide open throughout this entire process.
The following is a quick guide for you to follow when attending open houses.
The first thing to look at when you arrive at the house is the slope of the block, does it look like water is draining towards the house? Drainage issues can cause movement and cracking of the foundations, it can also encourage termites.
Landscaping is important, is there paving around the perimeter of the home? Are there large trees near the house? Think of the damage a tree root can do to the pavement or footpath, they can do similar damage to the foundation of the home.
Leaves from trees can block gutters and downpipes causing them to rust and stormwater to overflow back inside.
Where does the stormwater go? Downpipes connected to stormwater drains or is the water being discharged next to the house?
Cracking of buildings is a major problem in Adelaide for two reasons: first, large areas occupy expansive soils (mostly black and red-brown clays); second, many dwellings are solid masonry because of a local timber scarcity, and solid brick houses are more prone to cracking than timber-frame brick veneer structures.
Nearly all older homes in Adelaide and even some newer homes will have cracks, the majority of these will be slight and not of concern, however, some houses will have significant structural cracking which could be very costly.
Inspex Inspections will help you with this big financial decision. So keep your eyes wide open!
